Poland's culture minister has promised the Auschwitz museum money to step up security after the infamous "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work Sets You Free") sign was stolen from
the site of the former Nazi death camp.

Bogdan Zdrojewski on Wednesday earmarked 400,000 zlotys ($137,000) for improving external security at the memorial site in southern Poland. It is made up of two camps, Auschwitz and Birkenau, and sprawls nearly 500 acres (200 hectares).

He said guards who failed to prevent the theft, which police say, was done on commission from abroad, last week have been suspended and other museum employees could face consequences.

Police found the sign that symbolizes Nazi Germany's atrocities cut into three piece Sunday and arrested five suspects.